1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cleaning devices, and more particularly to a cleaning device adapted for cleaning a motorcycle or industrial drive chain.
2. Description of Related Art
Many vehicles, machines, or various types of equipment include a drive chain for transferring rotational movement between locations. These drive chains require constant maintenance to remove dirt and other contaminants, and to re-grease the freshly cleaned chains.
Since cleaning the drive chain is a dirty and awkward job, various forms of chain cleaning devices are known in the art. For example, Chiarella, U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,120, teaches a bicycle chain cleaning or lubricating device and method adapted for cleaning or lubricating a bicycle chain.
The Chiarella device enables the bicycle chain to be cleaned in place, without need for the removal and replacement of the chain. The device includes a receptacle for enclosing a portion of a bicycle chain to be cleaned or lubricated and for containing a quantity of solvent or lubricant and a mating cover for the receptacle. The cover contains at least one rotatable sprocket brush having spaced-apart bristle tufts on its periphery and sized to fit closely into adjacent spaces in the bicycle chain, so that the movement of the chain through the device causes the chain and central brush to dip into the solvent or lubricant and then enter the spaces of the chain so as to clean or lubricate the chain as it is passed through the device. The receptacle and cover of the device are held together by suitable retainer means, such as a wire clamp located at the central portion of the device casing. Also, one or two secondary rotary sprocket brushes designed for interfitting into the openings of the chain are preferably provided in the receptacle for use in combination with the central primary sprocket. A stationary brush or absorbent pad can be attached to the device exit end to contact the chain and remove excess material from the moving chain.
Other prior art cleaning devices are also known in the art, and the above-described reference is hereby incorporated by reference in full.
The prior art teaches various forms of chain cleaning devices that function to run a chain through a cleaning solution. However, the prior art does not teach a drive chain cleaning device having the structure and function of the present invention. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.